Her Story - Envisioning the Leadership Possibilities in Healthcare – Details, episodes & analysis

Meet Our Guest: 

Meena Seshamani, MD, PhD is an accomplished, strategic leader with a deep understanding of health economics and a heart-felt commitment to outstanding patient care. Her diverse background as a healthcare executive, health economist, physician and health policy expert has given her a unique perspective on how health policy impacts the real lives of patients. She most recently served as Vice President of Clinical Care Transformation at MedStar Health, where she conceptualized, designed, and implemented population health and value-based care initiatives and served on the senior leadership of the 10 hospital, 300+ outpatient care site health system. The care models and service lines under her leadership, including community health, geriatrics, and palliative care, have been nationally recognized by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and others. She also cared for patients as an Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the Georgetown University School of Medicine.

 

Key Insights: 

Dr. Seshamani transitioned from being a physician to a health economist to fulfill her passion of contributing to the community.

 

● Diversity in Leadership: Dr. Seshamani highlights the positive impact of having women and people of color in leadership roles at CMS.

● Balancing Private and Public Sector: Her background in both the private and public sectors has enriched her understanding of complex healthcare issues, allowing for innovative solutions and thoughtful policymaking.

● Overcoming Obstacles: Dr. Seshamani triumphs over obstacles in her path and advocates for a culture that values qualifications over appearance.

 

This episode is hosted by Ceci Connolly. She is a member of the Advisory Council for Her Story and President and CEO of the Alliance of Community Health Plans.

Relevant Links: 

Read more about Dr. Seshamani

Follow Dr. Seshamani on Twitter

Meet Our Guest: 

Madeline Bell is the President and CEO of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), which is one of the top-ranked children’s hospitals in the United States and was ranked No. 1 on Forbes’ 2022 list of America’s Best Large Employers. Most recently, she was named one of Modern Healthcare’s “100 Most Influential People in Healthcare” and one of its “50 Most Influential Clinical Executives” and was included on Forbes’ “50 Over 50: Vision” list, Philadelphia Business Journal’s “Power 100 2022” list, and Philadelphia Magazine’s list of “The 100 Most Influential People in Philadelphia.” Ms. Bell is the host of Breaking Through with Madeline Bell, a podcast that features interviews with CHOP patients, doctors and scientists, as well as with philanthropists and innovators who support CHOP’s mission. She holds a bachelor of science in Nursing from Villanova University and a master of science in Organizational Dynamics from the University of Pennsylvania.

 

Key Insights: 

Madeline Bell, President and CEO of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), shares her career journey from a pediatric nurse to hospital administration.
 

● The Curiosity Trajectory. Madeline emphasizes the importance of curiosity and a desire for more decision-making power in her career trajectory.

● Networking for Women. Networking has been a challenge for women, including Madeline, but she encourages women to be intentional and planful in developing their networks.

● Follow the Leader. As a leader, Madeline believes in inspiring and uniting people around a common purpose, helping them understand their role and the bigger picture.

 

This episode is hosted by Sandi Fenwick, Former CEO, Boston Children’s Hospital. 

Relevant Links: 

Read more about Madeline

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

Meet Our Guest: 

Fawn Lopez is Publisher Emeritus of Modern Healthcare, she formerly held the position of Vice President and Publisher from 2005 - 2022. As the industry's leading source of healthcare business and policy news, research and information, Modern Healthcare serves the needs of top healthcare executives by reporting on important healthcare events and trends, as they happen, through our website, e-newsletters, mobile app, and print magazine, and by hosting a dozen annual events and conferences across the country. In her role as publisher, Mrs. Lopez oversaw the editorial, sales and marketing, digital, and audience development associates who together power the Modern Healthcare media brand.

Key Insights: 

Fawn Lopez touches on the challenges of being a woman and a minority while emphasizing that education and integrity gave her the drive to succeed.

 

● Publisher Emeritus. Fawn retired from Modern Healthcare in 2022 but remains involved in some of the key initiatives, including women leaders in healthcare and sustainability.

● From Accountant to Healthcare. Engaging with people, learning their life stories, and facilitating conversations that lead to change in the industry is what fuels Fawn’s passions. If you’re passionate about what you do, your work is a privilege.

● Don’t Hold Back. Fawn advises people to work hard, be opportunistic, have a sense of purpose, and never be afraid to ask for help or advice.

 

This episode is hosted by Carladenise Edwards, Ph.D., Strategic Advisor.

Relevant Links: 

Read more about Fawn Lopez

Follow Fawn on Twitter

In this episode of Her Story, we sit down with Arielle Mir, Vice President of Health Care at Arnold Ventures, and discuss how to be an influential leader and how to juggle the many responsibilities leadership can entail.

In this episode of Her Story, we get to know Dr. Sanjula Jain, a health services researcher and strategic advisor and Co-founder of Think Medium who will be hosting Her Story starting out in season two. We learn about her journey as a woman leader and where she hopes to take Her Story in the future.

Watch our season 1 guests share their best advice and memorable experiences during their leadership journey.

On this episode, Ceci Ruth Williams-Brinkley is president of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic States, Inc. In this episode of Her Story hosted by Ceci Connelly, President and CEO of The Alliance of Community Health Plans, we sit down with Ruth Williams-Brinkley, President of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic States, Inc. Ceci and Ruth discussed how Ruth’s experience growing up in the segregated south and training as a nurse prepared her for an unconventional career path culminating as CEO for several hospital systems prior to her current role at The Alliance of Community Health Plans.

In this special episode of Her Story, we bring together three special guests from this season to share their experiences about handling life as a mother alongside a successful executive career. We hear from Dr. Vineet Arora, Nancy-Ann DeParle, and Kim Keck.

In this special #FoundersSeries episode of Her Story, we bring back two of our favorite interviews with Halle Tecco and Carolyn Witte to highlight the challenge of overcoming odds as female founders. Halle and Carolyn discuss the challenges they faced when founding Rock Health and Tia, respectively, as well as the strategies they employed to succeed despite the odds being stacked against them.

This episode of Her Story features Lisa David, President and CEO of Public Health Solutions. In this conversation, hosted by Dr. Joanne Conroy, President and CEO of Dartmouth Hitchcock and Dartmouth Hitchcock Health, we learn about Lisa's career trajectory from consulting and academic medicine to renowned public health nonprofits such as Planned Parenthood, and the value of prioritizing influence over decision making along the way.